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Testimonial

"Internet Marketing NW guided me through every aspect of Web site design for my new Web site "PhiloSophos.com", in order to maximize search engine visibility. Their knowledge and attention to detail is impressive. The result is that my new Web site is gaining 500 visitors per day, ten times the number of visitors at the original, well-established Pathways to Philosophy site."

Dr. Geoffrey Klempner,
University of Sheffield

Using a Web Site to
Market Your Business

There are many different ways to advertise a business on the Internet. These all require that a business have some form of online presence. An online ad or listing should lead to some online space where a business is represented with more information about the company, its products or services for best results.

A fundamental but very important Internet marketing strategy, involves creating and advertising a Web site to promote your business. This can decrease marketing costs since online publishing requires only a fraction of the investment that conventional publishing requires. Also, a Web site can be easily updated and modified without ever having to re-print.

You can use your Web site in a number of ways. You can use it to provide more information about your business and the products or services that you offer. Your Web site includes your contact information and can even serve as a point of contact with email and more advanced Internet technologies. You can even sell your products and services on your Web site. With a Web site you can reach millions of potential customers quickly and inexpensively.

An advantage of using a Web site to market your business on the Internet is that you can use descriptions and photos of the products or services. You can also incorporate multimedia including audio and video to represent your products, services and company. This is important, because many consumers and businesses use the Internet for researching products and services. Having an online presence gives your business an advantage over the competition because consumers and businesses are much more likely to select your products or services over the products and services offered by your competitors who do not advertise or offer products online.

A Web site will also help you to leverage advertising dollars. Suppose your business runs an expensive radio, TV or print ad. These mediums are expensive. Only a limited amount of information can be included. However, with a Web site, you can now include your company's URL in a print ad or 30 - 60 second radio or television spot and direct your customers to your Web site which will contain enough information to make the sale. You can also include your print ads and radio or TV spots on your Web site as streaming media. It won't cost anything to deploy these from your own Web site.

Marketing your business on a Web site allows you to not only market but to also increases sales by selling your products directly online. This can give you an edge over the competition. Consumers and businesses who use the Internet to research products and services are often very eager to make their purchases immediately and they would be more inclined to select a retailer or service provider who offers the opportunity to purchase products or services online over a retailer or service provider who only allows for purchase in a store, via print catalogue or phone.



A Web site can surely cut costs by reducing the volume of print matter that you will need to market your company in the form of printed mailings and catalogues, etc., since you can offer this information and catalogues to be viewed or downloaded from your Web site. Also, a Web site is usually integrated with email. This can replace or offset the quantity of direct print mailings required.

Using a Web site to market your business gives it the ability to reach a large, worldwide audience. The Internet essentially knows no boundaries and advertising on a Web site means that a business can reach competitors around the world instead of being limited to its general location. Advertising via other media such as television, radio and print is somewhat limited and may only reach potential customers in a relatively small geographic area.

One great advantage to using a Web site to market your business is that the Internet is available 24 hours a day around the world. This essentially offers you a storefront which is open 24 hours a day. While your competitors may be limited to their regular business hours, your Web site will enable you to reach your customers at any hour of the day. This is especially important for reaching potential customers in other time zones and for reaching customers in your own area who are simply too busy to shop for products or services like the ones you offer during regular business hours. Many potential customers work long hours and appreciate the ability to research and shop online after hours.

If you have a Web site that generates a lot of Web traffic you might be able to generate a profit from your site in other ways than through sales to customers. You could also use your Web site to generate income by selling advertising space to other business owners who are marketing their own products and services on the Internet. However, care should be taken when advertising on your Web site. First of all you should not sell advertising space to direct competitors. This is important because this may cause you to lose potential business if potential customers opt to purchase product or services from competitors who advertise on your Web site. An ideal advertiser is one who offers products and services which do not directly compete with your own products or services but would be of interest to your potential customers. You should also take care not to place too many advertisements on your Web site. This is important because too many advertisements may detract from your business and may cause you to lose potential customers.